Fall DLC 2023 Speculation

[nutrit]

That's a bit of an unfair statement tbh.

Yes, I agree that the majority of reasons we have for expecting support to end either this year or next year are mostly speculative. They're based on observations we can make, but it's only fair to say that we're always making observations by looking at the tip of the ice berg as we simply don't have much more insight into Frontiers' process.

However, to say we have no actual indications is to ignore the financial documents we have, provided by Frontier themselves. For the past yew years, the annual reports referred to "PDLC in the next fiscal year". Every time it did that, we got an extra full year of DLC. Last year however, they didn't, and instead specifically mentioned PDLC throughout calendar year 2023. That is a change and one with bigger implications.

In the latest full year trading report, we got the line :

Given that we're currently in FY24 and that it ends on May 31st 2024, this statement does not contradict the earlier statement by Frontier. We've still got 2 DLCs to come, so even without a DLC in March, this statement still holds true.

So basically Frontier went from saying "we'll give you a cookie now and a cookie tomorrow" for several days in a row, to saying "we'll give you a cookie now". To say that you might still get a cookie tomorrow is a hopeful interpretation, but it can also be an indication that you're not getting one at all. To say that there's no indication at all, is a bit unfair.

Are these things the nails in the coffin? Of course not, because we know that Frontier won't outright say that PZ's development is over, they haven't done that in the past with other games either. The next major financial document we get is in September, that will give us at least some more information on the future. If it once again states CY23 or mentions FY24, then I'd say we've got a pretty strong indication that either the December DLC is the last one, or the March DLC is the last one. If it says FY25, we're in the clear.

At this moment in time, we're more in limbo than we've been in the past few years. Luckily, September is not long anymore.

PS: I mentioned March DLC, as Easter 2024 is the 31st of March and every single Spring Planet DLC since 2018 has been released the week of Easter.

I know all that and in my opinion it doesn’t have to mean anything. Those are only your theories and implications, your own interpretation of facts that doesn’t have to mean anything,

Either way I am just not not into dooms talk. I’d rather think that we have a long support waiting for us rather that try to find every single reason not to expect that.

If it will be as you say, ok. I am down for whatever but I seriously don’t think that that will end this franchise so soon with so much more potential to explore.

I am super curious of the Arid pack sales because it would show if the forum mega drama was real or it would be repeat from the Twilight pack.

 

[Iben]

Either way I am just not not into dooms talk.

I just want to say, for me it's genuinely not doom talk and the same goes for a lot of other people. I find it rather annoying that it's always framed like that, and I mean that in general, as it seems like a way to slam down any reasonable argument people can have as "you're just pessimistic". I know of plenty of people, including myself, who expect the game to end either this year or next year, don't see that as a doom scenario.

The game has had a nice run, it's genuinely one of the best if not the best zoo game out there atm and every new pack we've been getting is another cherry on top of a pretty great cake. If the game would have ended after Arid Pack, that wouldn't have changed a thing about that.

Things just come to an end, and given that decades spanning games like Sims 4 are rare, it's perfectly okay to expect and accept a potential ending, especially this far along in development, without having to see it as a doom scenario or the end of the world.

 

[nutrit]

I just want to say, for me it's genuinely not doom talk and the same goes for a lot of other people. I find it rather annoying that it's always framed like that, and I mean that in general, as it seems like a way to slam down any reasonable argument people can have as "you're just pessimistic". I know of plenty of people, including myself, who expect the game to end either this year or next year, don't see that as a doom scenario.

The game has had a nice run, it's genuinely one of the best if not the best zoo game out there atm and every new pack we've been getting is another cherry on top of a pretty great cake. If the game would have ended after Arid Pack, that wouldn't have changed a thing about that.

Things just come to an end, and given that decades spanning games like Sims 4 are rare, it's perfectly okay to expect and accept a potential ending, especially this far along in development, without having to see it as a doom scenario or the end of the world.

Fair enough. We will know more very soon, because the September report is just few weeks ahead of us and it would brighten some things up.

I just prefer to wish that it will last even more than Sims 4 when there are still so many things that could enrich it. But that just me.

I’m the kind of person that builds totally different enclosures for the animals from the same group, so there was not even one animal in the past DLC’s that bored me. It’s just the matter of imagination and attention to details.

 

[ElectricMonk]

I just want to say, for me it's genuinely not doom talk and the same goes for a lot of other people. I find it rather annoying that it's always framed like that, and I mean that in general, as it seems like a way to slam down any reasonable argument people can have as "you're just pessimistic". I know of plenty of people, including myself, who expect the game to end either this year or next year, don't see that as a doom scenario.

The game has had a nice run, it's genuinely one of the best if not the best zoo game out there atm and every new pack we've been getting is another cherry on top of a pretty great cake. If the game would have ended after Arid Pack, that wouldn't have changed a thing about that.

Things just come to an end, and given that decades spanning games like Sims 4 are rare, it's perfectly okay to expect and accept a potential ending, especially this far along in development, without having to see it as a doom scenario or the end of the world.

Agreed. Back in 2020, 2021 and even 2022, talk of the game ending could be reasonably said to be doom-talking. Eventually, over time, though, the odds of the game’s support increases. IMO, we’re now at the point where it’s (a bit) more likely that there won’t be another year (let alone three!)….

 

[nutrit]

Agreed. Back in 2020, 2021 and even 2022, talk of the game ending could be reasonably said to be doom-talking. Eventually, over time, though, the odds of the game’s support increases. IMO, we’re now at the point where it’s (a bit) more likely that there won’t be another year (let alone three!)….

We just need some patience. Report is probably ready resting quietly on the Frontier hard drives.
For the record I would be ok if the game would end this year. But it just doesn’t have to.

 

[FoxyDee]

Why does every topic always end with the support end debate. Sigh

 

[PnGLINNyo]

Okay, new topic time!

If you were to keep 5 exotic animals in your back yard, what would they be? Also space requirements aren’t relevant here, just what you guys would want.

I personally wish to make my back yard as a conservancy depending on the region I live.
I was born in Myanmar and if it weren't for the coup there now I'd wish to keep the following 5 species in my backyard.

Binturong
Small-clawed Otters
Pied Hornbills
Slow Loris
Lesser Mouse Deer

 

[Narwhaler]

I hope we get the blue-necked ostrich, it would be such a game changer....

I just want to say, for me it's genuinely not doom talk and the same goes for a lot of other people. I find it rather annoying that it's always framed like that, and I mean that in general, as it seems like a way to slam down any reasonable argument people can have as "you're just pessimistic". I know of plenty of people, including myself, who expect the game to end either this year or next year, don't see that as a doom scenario.

The game has had a nice run, it's genuinely one of the best if not the best zoo game out there atm and every new pack we've been getting is another cherry on top of a pretty great cake. If the game would have ended after Arid Pack, that wouldn't have changed a thing about that.

Things just come to an end, and given that decades spanning games like Sims 4 are rare, it's perfectly okay to expect and accept a potential ending, especially this far along in development, without having to see it as a doom scenario or the end of the world.

The game ending next year is not a doom scenario (haven't seen anyone claiming such a thing). The game ending this year is indeed a bad scenario, however... By simply considering the amount of species that would be left out, with no possibility of them being added as good quality mods... Yeah, that is definitely not a good scenario. Besides that the game remains fairly unbalanced (SA underrepresentation, lack of birds, lack of primates, no waterfowl, no lagomorphs, no tree roos, no walrus, no coati, no tassie) and that is never a good way to end a zoo game that is clearly trying to be as complete as possible in terms of roster.

Like if the game had ended support with the arid pack we would have been left with a game that has skunks, but not coatis. How ridiculous is that lol

 

[NZFanatic]

Why does every topic always end with the support end debate. Sigh

This wasn't a debate. This was Iben making reasonable points and nutrit being in denial.

 

[synthetase]

Okay, new topic time!

If you were to keep 5 exotic animals in your back yard, what would they be? Also space requirements aren’t relevant here, just what you guys would want.

Bat-eared Fox
Giraffe, Idk what (sub)species?
North American Elk
Sloth Bear
Virginia Opossum

As far as the "end" goes... There is nothing wrong with hope. Prepare for the worse however. I think, the worse is Christmastime will bring our last pack and that is not too likely imo.

 

[YesIndeed]

This wasn't a debate. This was Iben making reasonable points and nutrit being in denial.

Lol u could interchange the names and say that about most things in the dlc speculation thread.

Btw is the financial report supposed to come out on certain day or it just gonna be sometime in September.

 

[jcp011c]

Why does every topic always end with the support end debate. Sigh

Because eventually it will end. And the longer support continues, ironically the more possibility we are near the end.

I don’t want it to end anytime soon, but even 4 years of DLC is pretty awesome.

 

[Markiz]

Whether game ending (now or in couple of months) is doom talk or not, I think really depends on what we're you expecting from the game in the first place and what are you comparing it to.

As in, do you compare quality of the game to the others of its genre, and others that came before it, or are you comparing it to its potential given what it already did since relase.

If latter, I would at least say that I do understand. But ultimately it goes on and on. There's always a step more to be made. There will always be a feature or species that, given the games "capabilities", could have been implemented.

But compare it to other zoo builder games we had. There isn't much to choose from. We're not really part of some popular niche that has hard competition with tens of different games getting released every year, so each developer has to invent new chemical element just to stay relevant.

First two ZT games, as the most popular ones in genre, had veery limited rosters and veery limited building system. Not to mention graphics that didn't age well.

Compared to what we had, Planet Zoo overdelivered in every aspect, roster, building, visuals...We got a better ZT2, and if support ended today, it would still be the best Zoo game we ever had.

 

[DarthQuell]

For a game to last 4 years, it isn't that bad. Frontier isn't cash-grab EA, it isn't strategy king Paradox. Frontier is Frontier. The fact that we got DLC in the 1st place is psychedelic. There are tons of games that don't get any kind of update or expansions (yes, DLC may not be an expansion pack, but it's still an expansion)
So, is it understandable for Frontier to stop developing a game after 4 years? Yes, totally.
PlanZo is still going though, so instead of seeing the end, maybe we should just worry about what will come next. It's been confirmed we have 2 more DLC and likely 3 more major updates.
Hypothetically, maybe 4 DLC and 5 updates going into spring 2024 (I don't know how financial years work, buy from I understand they go from summer to spring, so I'm assuming that spring 2024 is the end of this financial year)

 

[Mazoku]

Personally, I can see this game continues its support until Summer 2024. But whether its support ends, this game holds a special place in my heart.

 

[Captain Callum]

The supposed end of times for the game doesn't bother me in the slightest, I already use mods to fill the gaps and have years worth of zoo builds planned for the future. The lack of birds, primates and whatever is just a hurdle in building a zoo not a brick wall to stop me in my tracks.

 

[jcp011c]

Whether game ending (now or in couple of months) is doom talk or not, I think really depends on what we're you expecting from the game in the first place and what are you comparing it to.

As in, do you compare quality of the game to the others of its genre, and others that came before it, or are you comparing it to its potential given what it already did since relase.

If latter, I would at least say that I do understand. But ultimately it goes on and on. There's always a step more to be made. There will always be a feature or species that, given the games "capabilities", could have been implemented.

But compare it to other zoo builder games we had. There isn't much to choose from. We're not really part of some popular niche that has hard competition with tens of different games getting released every year, so each developer has to invent new chemical element just to stay relevant.

First two ZT games, as the most popular ones in genre, had veery limited rosters and veery limited building system. Not to mention graphics that didn't age well.

Compared to what we had, Planet Zoo overdelivered in every aspect, roster, building, visuals...We got a better ZT2, and if support ended today, it would still be the best Zoo game we ever had.

The game most likely won't end for at least two more DLC but I get what you're saying about it being doom talk or not.

Also, I really do feel like Planet Zoo has been so much more what I thought it might ever be at launch. And I've been saying since the North America Animal Pack, that it's now the best zoo simulator game of all time, at least in my opinion. So it's already ahead of any other zoo game, and that does include ZT and ZT2. And far far ahead of any other zoo games.

So when I'm looking at being disappointed or missing certain animals, it's not based on what we have, but the potential that we do not end up getting. Add to that, I really don't want to "move on" from Planet Zoo. I want it to be the best it could possibly be, not just the best zoo game period. If we don't get additional birds (especially smaller types of birds) I will feel like there's a huge opportunity missed. That doesn't mean I think PZ is a bad game in any way, I will never say that. I just don't want to start over with PZ2 just to get more birds, if such a thing were to even happen.

When there's a game that has done so amazingly well with what they've put out already, why would we not want to hope that Frontier would continue in ways that would make the game even more amazing? Yet at the same time, we have to reign in our expectations that the game is going to have unlimited support. Do I want birds, absolutely! Do I think the game has another 2 or 3 years of life left to give us a huge amount of birds as well as continuing to expand the mammal roster? Not so much.

Personally, I think the game's got at most another year and a half of new content, in other words 6 more pack. At least two more packs are coming and I'm tempering my hopes and expectations that we may get 4 more packs. I'd like to think some kind of Avian focused pack would come but this far into it, I very much have doubts and don't want to fool myself into expecting it. Keep in mind too, there is absolutely no evidence of any specific animal being added to the roster. Do I think the Tasmanian Devil and Wolverine are very likely to be added in? Yes, but I can't say that they are definitely going to be added. There's no evidence to support that other than the "evidence" they are popular and haven't been added in (which isn't evidence at all).

 

[BananaLeech]

Okay, new topic time!

If you were to keep 5 exotic animals in your back yard, what would they be? Also space requirements aren’t relevant here, just what you guys would want.

Five species is a tough one. If I had the chance I’d build my own Garden of Eden but here’s my five:

Striped skunk
Crested porcupine
Common brush-tailed possum
Greater bushbaby
Canada goose

 

[nutrit]

This wasn't a debate. This was Iben making reasonable points and nutrit being in denial.

I have no idea why you always have to be like that. Like literally. No idea.

 

[DarthQuell]

That doesn't mean I think PZ is a bad game in any way, I will never say that. I just don't want to start over with PZ2 just to get more birds, if such a thing were to even happen.

I agree. And to be honest, if a sequel is just the same game but with more stuff, then I don't consider it a true sequel, but more like, in this case, Planet Zoo 1 1/2.
In my opinion, a true sequel needs to not only have more stuff, but improved features, brand new features, etc.
If a hypothetical PlanZo 2 only added birds, I'd consider it a waste. I initially thought that JWE 2 was a waste, but as it's gotten updates and the packs, I now think that it's worth it

I think the game's got at most another year and a half of new content, in other words 6 more pack. At least two more packs are coming and I'm tempering my hopes and expectations that we may get 4 more packs. I'd like to think some kind of Avian focused pack would come but this far into it, I very much have doubts and don't want to fool myself into expecting it. Keep in mind too, there is absolutely no evidence of any specific animal being added to the roster. Do I think the Tasmanian Devil and Wolverine are very likely to be added in? Yes, but I can't say that they are definitely going to be added. There's no evidence to support that other than the "evidence" they are popular and haven't been added in (which isn't evidence at all).

While I believe a children's/petting zoo pack is next, I wouldn't be surprised if we got some sort of temperate pack (although the Twilight pack kinda did that), featuring wolverines and Taz...

Also, can y'all believe it's been almost a year since the Twilight pack? It feels like yesterday